冷荒漠草本植物数量特征对不同水分输入和气象因子的响应

草本层是古尔班通古特沙漠植被的重要组成部分，在维持沙漠稳定、养分循环等方面具有重要意义。水分通常以积雪和降雨形式输入到土壤，输入方式及数量变化对荒漠植物的存活和生长有重要影响。本文以古尔班通古特沙漠南缘草本层为研究对象，利用人工增减积雪的方法，共设置4个积雪处理(0，50%，100%，200%积雪，其中100%积雪为对照)，于2009—2016年春季调查草本植物的数量特征和物种丰富度，分析草本植物数量特征对水分变化的响应；同时结合气象数据，分析不同年份一年生荒漠草本植物数量特征与主要气象因子的关系。结果表明：表层土壤含水量与积雪厚度成正比，相应的草本植物的幼苗密度与积雪水当量、表层土壤含水量成正比关系；2009—2016年，年内积雪量的变化对物种丰富度没有显著影响，各积雪处理间物种丰富度差异不显著；2009—2016年自然处理下年际间物种丰富度差异显著，2015年物种丰富度显著小于其余年份。结合气象数据分析发现，物种丰富度年际变化主要受幼苗建成期的降雨调控，并且干旱年份过后的湿润年份物种丰富度不受前一年降水的影响，说明荒漠草本植物层片具有较强的自我调节能力；自然处理下，不同年份草本植物旺盛期的存活数量与大气干旱程度(空气饱和差)呈显著负相关关系（R²值为0.611，P<0.05），与生长季的降雨量呈正相关关系（R²值为0.162, P>0.05），说明大气干旱程度更能表征荒漠草本植物生长峰值期的存活情况。     

Babesia microti (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae) in nymphal Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the Czech Republic

A total of 350 nymphs of the common tick Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) were collected in an endemic focus of Lyme borreliosis (South Moravia, Czech Republic) and examined for the presence of the protozoan Babesia microti (Fran?a, 1909) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using primers specific for the B. microti gene encoding small subunit rRNA. The assay revealed five positive pools (out of 70 pools examined); the corresponding prevalence rate was about 1.5%. Sequence analysis of the PCR products confirmed their 100% homology with that of B. microti. The study represents the first evidence of B. microti in ixodid ticks in the Czech Republic.     

Lyme borreliosis: insights into tick-/host-borrelia relations

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a serious infectious disease of humans and some domestic animals in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is caused by certain spirochetes in the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) species complex. The complex consists of 11 species (genospecies). Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii are the major agents of human disease. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. species are transmitted mainly by ticks belonging to the Ixodes ricinus species complex plus a few additional species not currently assigned to the complex. B. burgdorferi infections may produce an acute or chronic disease with a wide array of clinical symptoms such as erythema migrans (EM), carditis, arthritis, neuroborreliosis, and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA). Differences in LB spirochetes 'genospecies' and strains/isolates determine the occurrence and severity of this multi-system disease. Accurate and reliable identification of the LB spirochetes in ticks as well as knowledge of their prevalence are essential for prevention against the disease and development of an effective vaccine. An overview of the knowledge of molecular factors with emphasis on potential protein-carbohydrate interactions in the tick-borrelia system is the main focus of this review.     

Detection of Anaplasma dna in Ixodes ricinus ticks: pitfalls

A total of 150 nymphal Ixodes ricinus (L., 1758) (Acari: Ixodidae) from the Czech Republic were examined for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Foggie, 1949) Dumler et al., 2001 by PCR using EHR521/747 primers: 22 of 50 pools were positive (minimum prevalence, 14.7%). However, sequencing of the PCR products did not show complete homology with A. phagocytophilum (91%) while the closest relationship (95%) was found to "Candidatus Ehrlichia walkefii". The results indicate a need for care in interpretation of Anaplasma PCR results and for PCR optimization for detecting A. phagocytophilum in ticks.     

New defensins from hard and soft ticks: Similarities,differences, and phylogenetic analyses

Despite the importance of ticks as vectors of disease very little is known about their immune system. Antimicrobial peptides, including defensins (phylogenetically ancient antibacterial peptides) are major components of innate immunity in ticks that have been shown to provide protection against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoan parasites. With the aim of studying the evolution of the genes involved in tick defense, we identified the preprodefensin genes from four Ornithodoros tick species (O. papillipes: isoforms A, B, and D; O. tartakovskyi and O. puertoricensis: isoforms A and B; O. rostratus: isoform A) and from two Dermacentor tick species (D. reticulatus and D. marginatus: one isoform) not previously described. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that Ornithodoros defensin isoforms (A, B, C, and D) form 4 separate clades, while hard tick defensins are divided into several branches based on particular tick species.